The Innocent
by Nikole596
Summary: Reincarnation was a strange subject usually left to religions and philosophers. He used to just write it off like everyone else but he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw her. Her name was Nysa.
1. Extended Summary

**So I started this as a request from one of my readers of Hide and Seek for an Alec/OC story.  
Thought I'd write a little bit and see what y'all think, though I won't update much until Hide and Seek is finished.  
Fair warning there is no plot yet, it took me ages to decide on what species to make my oc, but yeah, this is the product of it :/**

 **Without further ado, I give to you... The Innocent**

* * *

 **Extended**

 **Summary**

* * *

innocent  
/ˈɪnəs(ə)nt/  
 _adjective_

not guilty of a crime or offence.

not responsible for or directly involved in an event yet suffering its consequences.

 _noun_

a pure, guileless, or naive person.

a person involved by chance in a situation, especially a victim of crime or war.

They say the soul is immortal, and that in death they're freed from their mortal cage. Reincarnation was a strange subject usually left to religions and philosophers. He used to just write it off like everyone else but he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw her.  
The belief that somehow, someway she had come back to him after what he had condemned her to made his undead heart want to beat again.  
Her name was Nysa.  
And her innocence will torture him for the rest of his existence.  
Because it was his fault.


	2. The Burning

**A/N: Yup so here it is...**

* * *

 **Prologue**

 **The Burning**

* * *

 _Terror filled her as she glanced around._

 _It was blurry, it was always blurry. She couldn't make out anything through the welling tears in her eyes. Her head turned towards the night sky as she tried to understand why they were doing this to her. She was innocent. She hadn't done anything to condone these actions so why? Why must she die?_

 _She took a deep breath only to choke on the smoke that filled her lungs. It was suffocating her. She tried to claw at her throat but found her hands bound behind her back. Her arms twisted tugging at the ropes that dug into her skin as the bare flesh of her forearms rubbed against the wooden pole causing an array of splinters to dig into them._

 _She cried out in fear and in pain as a violent coughing fit took over. She couldn't escape, it was no use._

 _Her fear increased tenfold as she spotted the orange and yellow flames licking around the edges of her bare feet. The heat was too much. She was sweating profusely as her body tried to maintain homeostasis, but it wasn't worth it._

 _The searing heat melted her skin as she released a bloodcurdling scream. The fire caught on the tattered end of her dress and traveled up her form singing as it went. The flames clawed at her dragging her deeper and deeper into the underworld._

 _"Nysa!" She heard the panicked shouts of her name but it was wrong. Her name was not Nysa. "Nysa! Nysa!" She couldn't tell if the voice was male or female, or anything really. She could barely make out the muffled cries behind the sounds of her own screams._

"Carina!"

Emerald eyes shot open at the sound of her name. There was a slight pressure on her shoulder as her startled, though sleepy gaze met that of her friend.

"Carina, you were having a nightmare."

She felt like she was burning. The nightmare that plagued her most of her life of the flames that slowly consumed her, melting her skin as the black smoke and stench of burning flesh filled her lungs. Her body was shivering as she curled up into herself glancing at the person before her.

"I'm fine, it was just a dream." She muttered reassuring herself and the person with her. But it felt so real. Like it actually happened.

"Do you want to talk about it?" The female asked. She was tall, and towered over Carina while standing. Her name was Abby and they were best friends since infancy. Abby was the one who coaxed Carina out of her shell and made her feel comfortable while in the presence of other people. She normally told her everything, but not this time.

"I'm fine," she ran a hand through her raven locks noting how her body seemed to be covered in a light sheen of sweat.

"You were screaming pretty loudly." Carina winced at Abby's comment.

"I'm sorry, I didn't wake your parents did I?"

"Oh no, they could sleep through a tornado, don't worry about them." The blonde smiled softly and glanced at the alarm clock the glowing red light reading 5:13 am. "If you're okay I'm going to get a couple more hours sleep."

"I'm fine," Carina repeated sliding out of the bed her feet shivering as they touched the cool wooden floors. "Get some rest, I'm going to shower and watch some TV or something." Abby nodded and headed back to her bed as Carina sleepily made her way to the shower.

She stripped her clothes and turned the water to cold before stepping into it. She could still feel the burning as the cascades of water washed over her.

"It was just a dream," she repeated to herself.


	3. Tuscany

**A/N: Slow start but here we go :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

 **Tuscany**

* * *

Carina pulled her luggage through the crowed airport trailing behind a family of whom she affectionately named, the string-beans. She had to take two steps in order to keep up with their longer strides and was puffing slightly.

"Quickly Rina!" Her blonde friend glanced back over her shoulder her blue eyes meeting Carina's emeralds.

"Slow down then!" The shorter replied taking another breath to fill her lungs. The difference in climate was slowly getting to her. It was warmer than she was used in England.

"Omph," Carina grunted as she walked directly into Abby who had come to a complete standstill.

"Watch it." Her friend hissed causing yet another eye roll.

"So where are we going?" She asked moving beside her friend.

"Mum's renting a car." Abby replied as they looked around Ciampino Airport.

"Are you girl's hungry?" A tall tanned middle aged man asked indicating to the snacks for sale.

"I'm good thanks Mr Baxter." Carina replied shrugging her shoulders and proceeded to remove her jumper.

"We're going to take it slowly to Volterra," he said with a grin his blue eyes looking between the girls. "My mother in law doesn't like me much but she will love you Carina I'm sure."

"How long will it take Dad?" Abby said to her father as she snapped a picture of her best friend while her back was turned.

"Couple of days at most, don't you girls want to look around."

The two fifteen year olds shrugged their shoulders and released an 'eh', at the same time. They locked gazes and broke into fits of giggles.

* * *

Carina stared out at the passing scenery as she thought of her mother. She doubted that the woman even noticed she was gone half the time. Her mother was sick, she had a mental illness that meant Carina had to grow up quite quickly. She was surprised that the government actually let her mother retain custody of her, but it was better than foster care.

Her mum had good days where she was the same woman that used to care for her child, but they were few and far between. It only got worse when her father ' _left'_. She never believed he did, he just vanished off the face of the earth one day, and it was like he never existed in the first place. Carina was a spitting image of her father. Her raven hair and emerald eyes contrasted against her pale skin. Each trait she held she inherited from him and her mother never failed to remind her of that.

This trip was the kind of getaway that Carina needed. She'd never left England, hell, she'd never really left Kent before so this was an entirely new experience for her.

The String-bean Baxter family were her next door neighbours and she shared a wall with Abby. That was how their friendship began. They'd come up with their own kind of Morse code tapping on the wall to communicate. That was until they'd just taken up visiting each other by climbing over the balcony.

They went to the same school, though Abby was infinitely more popular than Carina. The blonde had come into her own early in life, and Carina was content being a wallflower. Abby though would never be happy that her best friend was a wallflower and would drag her along into the light. It was just accepted that wherever Abby went, Carina went too.

Mrs Baxter was born and raised in Volterra. Abby's mother knew that the city was dangerous she told the girls that no matter what they do they need to stay out of the shadows, but she also knew as a resident of the city they would be safer than the tourists that frequent it. Mrs Baxter was one of the most beautiful women Carina had ever laid eyes on. Her skin was lightly tanned, her oval face framing her shining sea blue eyes. Her hair is where she differed from Abby. Mrs Baxter's hair was a light warm shade of brown and held an array of colour, in the sunlight as it fell in waves down her back. She had curves in all the right places and stood at about 5'7. Mr Baxter on the other hand had white blonde hair and deep green eyes. His skin held a light tan on his face and hands as he wore suits every day. He was a six foot something giant that Carina had to crane her neck to see. He held an athletic build that he without a doubt passed on to his daughter.

"It's so warm," Carina muttered and Abby nodded wiping the beading sweat from her forehead due to the humidity.

"Get used to it girls," Mrs Baxter told them with a smile on her lips. She wound a couple of the windows down letting the fresh air cool the occupants of the silver car.

As Carina took a breath she could smell the fresh grass and grapes from the vineyard they just passed. The air was cool against her skin as her emerald eyes watched the setting Tuscan sun. It lit the hills up in such a way that they glowed a brilliant red and orange that faded to the yellows and greens of the lower farmlands.

"What's that up there?" Carina asked Abby as she spotted stone buildings in the distance.

"Volterra," her friend replied.

Carina felt a sense of foreboding as the approached the city. She couldn't explain her spike in heart rate and the scent of fear that began to ooze from her pores at the sight of the place. She didn't understand why it scared her so much. It was just another city. Though a little larger than most it looked like the other places they'd passed through in Tuscany.

"My Nonna lives there."

"It's nice," Carina lied and leant back in her seat as the city cast a shadow over them. She didn't like this place. There was something wrong with it and she was determined to not find out.

* * *

"What are you doing out here, I thought you didn't do patrols anymore?" A male voice spoke softly as he slid into rank beside the other vampire.

"I don't," he replied his crimson gaze following the vampires that patrolled beneath them. "I'm bored. What's your excuse?"

"Master Marcus sent me to find you." Alec replied lowering his hood. "He's worried about you."

"I'm perfectly fine in my solitude." Demetri replied clasping his gloved hands together.

"Humour him, he seems determined to find you a mate."

"Funny how he never tries with you or Felix, huh?" Demetri said raising a brow.

"Felix tends to break things and I have my twin. Why don't you just claim Heidi and be done with it?" Alec shrugged as he leant forward to watch a silver car make its way into the city.

"The succubus is beautiful, but aren't we all?" The tracker told him with a grin, "She's not really my type."

"Then what is?"

"When I know, I'll tell you." The tracker spun on his heel and headed for the door.

Alec took up Demetri's position watching the guards change shifts. He tilted his head slightly the breeze carrying a soft scent of hazelnut and cinnamon with hints of rose. His eye narrowed as he tried to locate the source of the intoxicating smell.

"Alec," his attention was drawn from the streets below as he turned to face Demetri. "You coming?"

"Yes," he gave one last look and turned merging with the darkness, the shadows hiding all but his lingering crimson gaze.


	4. Fear

**A/N: Will update every Sunday or Monday :), thanks a heap to my first two reviewers, VioletKane and Lili, yup this will cross over with Hide and Seek at some stage. The timeline for this will be much longer than Hide and Seek so you'll see Andy in it eventually.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

 **Fear**

* * *

 _I was born in Anglo-Saxon England around 800AD. I lived with my mother and sister in the minor kingdom of Kent that was ruled by Coenwulf at the time. My sister and I grew up in a period of fear. We were ruled by fear because that fear kept us alive._

 _Twins was an uncommon occurrence at the time, and it was a miracle in itself that mother managed to survive the process of birthing us safely. I couldn't remember what she looked like, but I knew she was beautiful. I remember her smile and the warmth it possessed for us. I remember her heart, and the love she gave to all willingly. It was a shame that the villagers couldn't see the same things in her as myself._

 _They hated us._

 _Believed we shouldn't exist._

 _Like we lived our lives in sin._

 _Admittedly we were what would be regarded as witches. Mother said that we inherited the traits from our father who had been killed in one of the Viking attacks on our village. Strange things would happen around us, most of it unintentional. It scared the villages, they did not understand us and that was frightening to them. They feared the ground we walked on._

 _Well,_

 _All except her._

Alec let his thoughts wonder as his pen trailed ink across the pure white page.

"What are you doing brother?"

"I don't know I just had this sudden desire to write." He replied looking up from the page to lock eyes with his twin. Jane shrugged in response and took a seat opposite him at the table he occupied. They were in the quarters reserved for the elite guards. The old stone walls held shelves filled with books and scrolls from throughout history. Light filtered in through high stain glassed windows creating intricate rainbow patterns on the polished floors. Artwork filled every empty space done by the residents of that particular wing of the castle and personal touches had been added to the corners that they each occupied.

Felix had claimed the couches, his jacket hanging over the back of one of the seats. Demetri usually sat with him when he wasn't otherwise occupied with the female population. His own mark left by a small stack of books written in Greek and Latin on the side table.

Alec and Jane had claimed the tables to filter through books and music that interested them. They hated humans, but couldn't deny that the technology they created was of great use to them.

As vampires, their minds worked differently. They could retain a fair bit of information and knowledge and as a result constantly sought out new things.

"What are you writing about?"

"Our human lives." He told her with a tight grin.

"Ugh, why would you ever want to remember that?" She sneered with hatred at the thought of the villagers burning them at the stake and killing their mother in front of them. "The other villagers hated us."

"Not all of them." Alec said releasing a rare small smile.

"You're getting sentimental brother, it was years ago, she's gone, you'll need to let her go eventually." Jane replied sombrely.

"It's my fault she died."

"She died, there is nothing we can do to change that now." She said simply trying to force the memories to the back of her mind.

"It's haunting me." He told her rubbing his forehead. "I don't know what triggered my memories but I can't stop it." He glanced back at his pages, "writing it down helps I suppose."

"You've never had this problem before." Jane placed a hand on her brother's shoulder. "What's changed?"

"I don't know, but something has." He told her losing himself in his memories.

* * *

 _Flashback 800 AD, England:_

 _Nysa ducked as her delirious mother threw one of the clay pots in her direction. "IT'S YOUR FAULT HE LEFT!" The woman shouted her own raven hair pulled back into a braid._

 _"I didn't mean to." The six year old replied ducking the shards. She slipped out of the room as her mother destroyed everything in sight._

 _"Nysa, pssst Nysa," a young male voice whispered to her and a brown haired boy's head popped up from behind a shrub._

 _"Alec you'll get me in trouble if she sees you." She hissed her emerald eyes glancing wearily back to the house._

 _"Then come on, before she notices." He replied with an excited grin._

 _"You're a bad influence." She said and lifted her skirt slightly while running to his location. She ducked behind the bush as the door to her hut opened with a violent bang._

 _"Nysa get back here right now!" Her mother shouted and she ignored the demand turning to her friend._

 _"Where's Jane?"_

 _"Waiting for us in the meadow." He said as he gripped her hand and dragged her through the trees surrounding her home. "She's collecting flowers for mother."_

 _"Then let's hurry." Nysa grinned forgetting the incident at her own house. She didn't understand why her mother hated her so much. She was told it was her fault that her papa left but she didn't know any different. Whatever she did she wished she could take it back so that her mama would smile like she used to._

 _The children giggled as they spotted their third waving at them from the meadow with excitement on her face, a small basket of flowers in her hand._ _Flashback 800 AD, England:_

 _Nysa ducked as her delirious mother threw one of the clay pots in her direction. "IT'S YOUR FAULT HE LEFT!" The woman shouted her own raven hair pulled back into a braid._

 _"I didn't mean to." The six year old replied ducking the shards. She slipped out of the room as her mother destroyed everything in sight._

 _"Nysa, pssst Nysa," a young male voice whispered to her and a brown haired boy's head popped up from behind a shrub._

 _"Alec you'll get me in trouble if she sees you." She hissed her emerald eyes glancing wearily back to the house._

 _"Then come on, before she notices." He replied with an excited grin._

 _"You're a bad influence." She said and lifted her skirt slightly while running to his location. She ducked behind the bush as the door to her hut opened with a violent bang._

 _"Nysa get back here right now!" Her mother shouted and she ignored the demand turning to her friend._

 _"Where's Jane?"_

 _"Waiting for us in the meadow." He said as he gripped her hand and dragged her through the trees surrounding her home. "She's collecting flowers for mother."_

 _"Then let's hurry." Nysa grinned forgetting the incident at her own house. She didn't understand why her mother hated her so much. She was told it was her fault that her papa left but she didn't know any different. Whatever she did she wished she could take it back so that her mama would smile like she used to._

 _The children giggled as they spotted their third waving at them from the meadow with excitement on her face, a small basket of flowers in her hand._

* * *

The air was incredibly warm and humid. Something Carina struggled to adjust to as she lay on top of the covers of the bed she was given.

Their arrival was amusing to say the least. Abby's Grandmother hated her father with a passion. The old woman spent a few hours just yelling at him in Italian while Mr Banks just stood there and took it all with silent grace. He understood enough of the language to know the old woman hated him, but she was the mother of his wife, and he would put up with it for her sake.

Abby had translated a few choice phrases and curse words for her friend as they chuckled in the corner of the room content to remain unseen by the adults. The moment they did get noticed though resulted in some prompt feeding before the fifteen year olds were sent to bed.

Carina couldn't sleep. She didn't want to sleep. Every time she shut her eyes she felt as though she was being consumed by the flames. She could just make out the pained voice shouting at her, and calling her Nysa. She hated that she had no idea what was wrong with her.

* * *

Dawn broke and Abby found her friend already showered and changed flicking through one of the Harry Potter novels. Abby didn't understand why Carina was so fascinated with magic, but then her family believed in monsters that drink blood prowl the night, so who was she to judge.

"What do you girls want to do today?" Mr Banks asked drinking his tea.

"Look around." They both answered shrugging their shoulders.

Abby's grandmother mumbled some Italian to her and she nodded in response causing Carina to frown in confusion.

"We'll be fine," the half English girl spoke only to get the same warning from her mother. Carina looked confused but let her friend grasp her wrist and drag her from the room.

"What was that about?"

"It's an old family paranoia." Abby replied. "If you are from this city, your safety is pretty much guaranteed, tourists on the other hand aren't."

"Is there like some kind of gang?" Carina's curiosity grew.

"You could call it that." Abby shrugged. "Just stay away from the shadows and any tour groups and you'll be fine. That's what mother said anyway."

"Um, okay." Carina replied unsure but not too worried knowing that her friend could probably talk them out of any trouble they might get in. The streets were bustling with locals as they continued their daily lives. She caught weary gazes in her direction as she trailed behind Abby who fit right in with the locals. She didn't like that they looked at her with pity. Like she was the next target.

She clung to Abby's side as an old woman stared her down like fresh meat. "You alright?" Abby asked as she bought a few trinkets.

"Ah yeah," Carina replied her eyes on a beautiful woman that approached slowly. She wore a red dress that accentuated her curves and enhanced her natural beauty.

"Hello," the woman spoke smiling her pearly whites. Carina frowned at her in confusion, something about this woman made the small brunette uneasy. "I'm Heidi," the woman tried again her accent heavy Italian with hints of German seeping through.

"Hi," Carina replied.

"She doesn't want a tour." Abby replied simply first in Italian and secondly in English for Carina's sake.

Carina frowned slightly as she was dragged away from the beautiful woman. She glanced at Abby who wore a tense expression then back to Heidi.

"Of course, my apologies," she replied politely in English her lips morphing into a forced grin her violet eyes narrowed in slight annoyance.

"It's fine." Abby replied.

Carina watched as the woman slunk back into the shadows of the clock tower. Fear hung heavily in the air, the undertones not going unnoticed by the small girl. The tower held an aura of death, it clung to the stone and made Carina shiver involuntarily.

It drew her in while scaring her away.


	5. Witch

**A/N: I know it's been ages, but I'm back and will start doing regular updates again sorry for the delay :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

 **Witch**

* * *

The heat was unbearable as Carina tossed from side to side and sweat beaded on her forehead. She could feel the flames licking the base of her feet as she panted for clean air to fill her lungs. She couldn't see anything but darkness as she struggled with what she should do.

"Carina," a strong voice commanded.

" _Nysa_ ," a familiar voice whispered as though it was coming from right behind her.

"Carina!"

" _Nysa_ "

"Carina!" Hands grasped her shoulders and she felt her heart-rate sky-rocket.

" _Nysa_ ," the voice was muffled and drifted away from her.

"Carina wake up!" Abby all but shouted at her.

"Sorry," Carina muttered as she wiped the sleep from her eyes puling herself into a seated position.

"Ever since I've known you you've been having these dreams, I think it's about time we find out who Nysa is." Abby stated with determination her thoughts moving at impressive speeds. "And I know just the person to go to."

Carina's eyes widened considerably as she was pulled from the bed and dragged out of the room she shared with her friend. She patted down her hair and managed to grab some shoes and a jacket as she was forced in the direction of the living area.

"Where are you taking me?" Carina asked her friend rambled in Italian to her grandmother.

"Out." The taller girl replied simply latching on to the brunette's wrist.

They made their way through the streets shaking off the crisp dawn chill as they walked in the shadows of the castle.

Carina was led to a little house at the end of a street. She had no idea where she was, the only landmark she recognised was the clock tower and now that too was out of sight. The tall stone buildings towered over her making her feel slightly claustrophobic and a little uneasy. She could feel eyes on each of her movements, as though something was stalking her but as she glanced around she couldn't spot the perpetrator. The sinking feeling in her gut kept her alert and on edge.

Abby tugged her friend to an old wooden door that looked like it would crumble at the slightest amount of pressure. Instead of knocking she gently shifted the door and pulled Carina in after her.

The smell of earthy incense assaulted their senses as they're plunged into a darkness, the smallest illumination barely seen down a dark hallway where a single flickering candle blew slightly due to the draft they'd carried in with them.

"What is this creepy place?" Carina whispered following Abby's steps with caution, trying to step on whatever was on the floor.

"This is my great Aunt's house."

"Oh, it's um lovely." Carina replied shrugging awkwardly.

"It's okay, I think it's creepy too." Abby shrugged. "just because she's psychic doesn't mean she has to live like this."

"Wait, you brought me to a psychic?" Carina asked skeptically.

"Well it's better than whatever plan you would've come up with." The blonde huffed crossing her arms.

"I would've been at least a little more logical."

"Seriously, you start asking questions about your dreams of a girl called Nysa being killed and they'll throw you in the nut-house. Especially with your family history." Abby pointed out and Carina sighed conceding defeat.

"Fine let's go see the psychic."

"I thought you'd be excited to meet a real-life witch." Abby grinned and Carina huffed.

"Who's a witch?" Came a silky voice. It was undeniably female and sounded young and amused, yet filled with wisdom.

"You are," Abby replied leaving Carina's side to take a seat by the candle.

"What are you talking about child, there is no such thing?" The woman stated but her voice cracked a little giving away her amusement.

Carina jumped her heart rate skyrocketing as flames burst alight in the fire place lighting half the room. She clutched a hand to her chest taking deep breaths as she inspected the woman.

She was tall and her figure was hidden by the loose fabric of a floral printed dress. As she moved her dress flowed behind her gently making her actions seem inhuman. Her hair was tucked into a scarf concealing the colour but Carina imagined it would be a deep brown. Her eyes were obsidian and were the most terrifyingly striking thing about her. It wasn't for her eyes, Carina could've mistaken the woman for Abby's mother.

"I've been waiting for you both, come take a seat by the fire and warm yourself." Carina could feel the witch's eyes on her form waiting patiently as she shook her head in slight fear. She was content as far away as possible.

"The flames do not bite child," the witch reached her hand into them holding the energy as it licked her skin. She moved closer to Carina who stumbled back in fear. "You cannot fight the flames, for they will always follow you. We must all face our fears one day."

"Just not today. I don't like fire, and I don't think I ever will." She stated firmly not willing to change her opinion on the matter. Ever. The flames had haunted her for as long as she could remember.

"Hmm," the witch mused waving her hand so the flames vanished. "Have a seat then." She indicated to the chair furthest from the fire which Carina took with a small and hesitant smile. "I'm Lucinda." Her accent was thick, "please call me Lucy."

"Um hi, I'm-"

"Nysa." The witch cut her off and Carina's eyes widened in surprise.

"No my name is Carina, I'm here to ask about Nysa though, did Abby tell you?"

"Of course, forgive my mistake." Lucy replied with a knowing glint. "It happens when you're as old as me."

"But you're not…" Carina trailed off.

"Did young Abigail not tell you my dear. I'm her great aunt." The woman looked barely out of her thirties and yet she was nearly eighty years old.

"But how?"

"Well that's the real secret now." She smiled brightly but there was an edge to the smile, "but magic always comes at a price."

"And your price?" Carina asked curiously.

"You're not ready to know that my dear." Said simply her tone firm. "Now onto your issue. You want to know about Nysa."

"Please, it's driving me insane."

"If it hasn't already." Abby muttered.

"What do you want to know?"

"Who was she?"

"You."

"That's impossible."

"Quite."

"What do you mean?"

"Nysa is a complicated person. From what I know of her history she was nothing more than a young girl from centuries ago."

"How long ago?"

"Around 800AD."

* * *

"Ugh," the attractive brunette flipped her hair over her shoulder as she paced the shadows of the clock tower, "Argh" she continued to grumble.

"What seems to be the problem Heidi?" Demetri said with his own sigh finally giving in to the female's incessant need for attention.

"She got away," The vampire sneered.

"Who got away?" Demetri asked though he had very little interest in what she was say his eyes following the lines of text on the pages of a small novel.

"The human, and she smelled so sweet." Heidi groaned.

"Let it go, you'll get your fill later." He shrugged indifferently.

"But I was so close until her friend took her away. No one can resist me Demetri." She purred seductively curling the gold chain that held his crest, around her delicate, yet deadly finger.

Demetri smirked not looking up from his book only slightly raising a brow in response. "You're still quite young, dear Heidi," he mused closing the book in his hands, as he towered over her slightly. He remembered fighting her coven three centuries ago and, how one of the females had gotten away. He was still a little ticked off Aro never let him go after the red-head. Demetri leant in close his cool breath on skin of Heidi's neck. "Only four and a half centuries to your name. I've wandered this earth for a millennium, I can easily resist the charms of a succubus. You have no chance at winning this game."

"You're just like every other male Demetri. You'll come to me, you have before."

"Are you sure it wasn't you coming to me?" He asks with a knowing smirk as he waltzed away from her.

"Wait, where are you going?!" Heidi shouted her heels clacking behind him.

"To visit Lucinda of course." He grins widely knowing her face would've morphed into the same jealous expression she wore whenever she spotted him with a female, and even certain males. Sure Heidi had her uses, but he would never feel anything for her.


	6. Guard

**A/N: Merry Christmas. It's officially Christmas Day in less than 1 hour... for me anyway, so I thought I would update :)**

 **Also if anyone has any requests for the direction they want the story to go, hit me up, I'm literally making it up as I update so I can change things on the go.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 **Guard**

* * *

 _"Nysa," Carina spun her head searching innocent voice that called the name. Her eyesight was a little blurry and made her feel uneasy and disorientated but she could make out some of her surroundings._

 _There was a forest to her right, the large and overbearing trees casting a shadow over her small form. She could smell the heavy scent of pine and rotting wood on the crisp air as she continued to turn searching for the person calling._

 _"Nysa," the voice repeated and a brown-haired boy ran from the trees directly for her. He took her hand and began to drag her back in the direction he had come from. "There you are, come on." He tugged impatiently as Carina tried to pull away from the stranger in shock._

 _To her surprise, she couldn't. She had absolutely no control over her own body. She could feel her heart skip a beat in excitement as she stumbled after the boy._

 _Carina then realised she felt smaller, her arms were thinner, and she seemed to stand shorter than the boy who looked to be about eight._

 _His deep brown almost black eyes held a spark of childish mischief as she was dragged into the woods._

 _"Where are we going?" Carina found herself asking, her accent was more old fashioned and her voice held a lighter pitch._

 _"The lake." He said happily. "Nysa come on."_

 _Carina could feel Nysa's excitement at the two words, and a grin spread across her lips._

 _The children ran over the old leaf foliage and moss in the direction of their favourite playground._

 _Carina spotted the log but unfortunately Nysa didn't. Having no way to stop the girl she winced internally as she suddenly fell plummeting towards the ground._

 _The vision flickered but Carina's heart rate was still beating fast with fear._

 _"Nysa!" It was the boy's voice shouting her name. "Carina!"_

 _She took in her surroundings, her head aching as blood oozed down her temple. She tried to move but her hands were bound with chains. The flames were licking at her feet as she let out a terrified scream._

 _"Carina."_

 _"Nysa."_

 _"Carina."_

 _"Nysa, no Nysa, not again please not again."_

She could feel her heartbeat pounding violently in her chest jumping awake. Adrenaline was pulsing through her veins as she looked around taking in her surroundings.

"What the hell!?" She blurted out her eyes falling on where her hand was gripping onto the witches. Flinching she pulled away trying to get out of the seat she was in and as far away as possible. "What was that?" She demanded and looked around the room noting how her friend was gone. "Where is Abby?"

"Abigail is back with her family."

"What was that?" Carina bit out unsure how to handle the new emotions flowing through her.

"A vision, you were gone for about an hour."

"Why did I see that, why was I in her body?"

"Nysa, you must understand, most of what you saw has happened already."

"My name is not Nysa, it's Carina!" she growled.

"It's both. You are both."

"That's impossible."

"You're the same person, you are Nysa."

"Nysa burned. She lived and died over a thousand years ago,"

"That is true."

"This is too much," she said shaking her head trying to come to terms with her thoughts as she ran out through the dark hallway of the witch's home.

"Come back when you want to learn more. I'll be waiting!" the witch shouted as Carina's form vanished from site.

* * *

He was on a mission from his masters. The same mission that happened around this time every year. Not that he'd tell Heidi that, he found amusement in making the succubus jealous. He had to visit Lucinda for information, nothing more, nothing less. But he did enjoy his visits.

Demetri wandered the familiar path his senses honed into the surroundings like the perfect hunter he is. Though he heard her coming, he still wasn't that prepared to face the young female human that slammed directly into him.

Her small fragile body collided harshly with the concrete cutting open her palms. The scent of blood filled the air and his eyes turned black with hunger as he just looked at her.

"Sorry." The girl mumbles brushing her raven hair out of the way as her emerald eyes stared back at him.

Holding his breath Demetri offered a tight smile, "it's fine."

Carina pulled herself to her feet noting how a dangerous aura hung around the man she's slammed into and how he lingered in the shadows like he was a part of them. His eyes seemed to see right into the depths of her soul causing a shiver to travel up her spine.

"I got to go." Carina said looking back a Lucinda's door, an action that didn't go unnoticed by the vampire, "um, sorry." She said awkwardly and stepped around him walking quickly into the centre of the city.

Demetri watched as the small female left, her scent lingering in the air. He was old enough now to have the control needed to deal with a small scratch. Her blood wasn't unpleasant, quite the opposite. But the law was the law and he wouldn't hunt in Volterra. That would make his eight centuries of service a waste, and himself a hypocrite.

Shaking his thoughts, he continued to his destination entering the home in front of him.

"You haven't visited me in a while." He could hear her voice and followed her scent to a small sitting area lit by a couple of candles. "What brings you to my humble abode Demetri?"

"Do I need a reason to visit my friend?"

"Besides Felix, you don't have any friends." The witch smiled at him, her own obsidian eyes meeting his.

"You're right as always darling Lucinda."

"You flatter me," she replied pretending to be flustered.

"So, scare any children lately?" Demetri asked raising a brow.

"She has potential." Lucy shrugged, "I assume Aro sent you."

"The usual report and I'll head on my way."

"There is tension brewing in the witch communities. Something, or someone has them on edge."

"That's not good." Demetri frowned.

"There are light and dark witches, and then there are those who like to dabble in both, you know this."

"What's happening?"

"Imbalance." Lucinda replied. "Since her birth the light and dark have been eager to have her on their sides, her father tried to hide her from them."

"A child?"

"You've met her," Lucy informed. "She just ran from this building."

"What's so special about her, she's a child, and a terrified one at that?"

"Her name is Carina Black, she'll be around for quite some time. She is scared because she can feel the danger in the city but doesn't understand it." Lucy old him with a knowing glint in her eye. "Can you tell me where she is tracker?"

"Wandering aimlessly around the city." He said with a sigh.

"She is staying with my sister. Be a dear and walk her home."

"Aro will not be pleased by this development."

"This is not your fight. The Volturi are grey and will remain grey."

"And if Alec and Jane decide to choose a side? It is after all, their decision."

"It's early days and Carina is yet to discover herself. I will not worry about the coming conflict just yet." She told him watching his movements as he rose to his feet. "She's going to need protection."

"Alec should be good enough pro-"

"He may be good enough, but you're the best." Lucy said cutting him off causing him to sigh.

"I'll see what I can do." He says taking her hand and placing a polite kiss on it before leaving the building.

* * *

Demetri followed the young girl's mind to a damp little alley way. She was heading straight for a dead end.

"Lost _puella_?" He asked lingering near the exit to the little ally, but not too close as he tried not to scare her, the complete opposite of what he was used to doing. The fear was already there, it was innate. He just needed to show her he wasn't a threat somehow.

"Um no, this is a shortcut." Carina told the man her modern British accent hitting him full force.

"Sure," he replied sceptically trying not to laugh as she stubbornly searches trying to find a way out.

"I'm not lost." She states and he grins glancing up at the sky. He was in the shadows as a caution, it was the sunniest part of the day. Raising his hands, he lifted his hood to cover the rest of his skin.

"Right well, I'm just going to pay Lucinda's sister's a visit." He tells her smirking as he led the way.

Carina frowned knowing the pale man was mocking her. There was something off about him, but something pulling her to him as well.

She sighed as he went in the exact opposite direction she was going to go. Her shoulders slumped in defeat as her feet pulled her after him.

It took a total of five minutes before she started to feel more comfortable trailing after him. She had begun to recognise the surroundings and somehow discovered a little courage.

Picking up the pace she fell into step beside him as he walked.

"And the little bird has finally come to admit she was lost."

"Thank you." She whispered. "I'm Carina by the way."

"Mm, Lucinda told me. I'm Demetri." He introduced himself.

"She didn't send you to follow me, did she?"

"No, she was just concerned you wouldn't find your way back. I was there on business."

"What kind of business?" She asked her curiosity getting the better of her.

"My employer wanted some information from her, that's all." He replied leaving stuff out, but still being polite as he tried to earn a little bit of her trust.

"Why do you wear a hood? Are you afraid of getting sunburnt, you're so pale?"

"Something like that." He said a small grin tugging at his lips. "Here we are." He indicated to the house that Carina recognised instantly.

He walked her to the door and knocked politely with Carina to his right.

"Demetri," the elderly woman gasped in surprise and horror as she made eye contact with the man. Her eyes then fell on Carina and she reached out pulling the girl into the home behind her form.

"Hello Milana." He greeted politely. She didn't respond as he spoke to her in fluent Italian. Carina could make some words like, danger and child, but that was it. Once he finished Abby's grandmother nodded her head with acceptance.

"It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss Black." He said turning to Carina a smirk on his lips, "do try to not get yourself lost again."

"Thanks Demetri." She replied, still a little scared but also thankful he didn't leave her to get lost in the city.


	7. Carina

**A/N: I know its been ages, sorry, will have more regular updates now hopefully :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

 **Carina**

* * *

"Ah Demetri, you've returned." Aro greets with his usual grin. "All is well with Lucinda I assume?"

Demetri didn't verbally reply instead he removes his leather glove and offers his pasty olive hand to his master.

Intrigued Aro sped towards his tracker an array of expressions crossing his face as he read Demetri's mind. Once he finished Demetri replaced his glove and fell into rank beside Felix.

"Interesting," Aro mused his eyes ficked on the tracker. "Keep her safe, I want to know everything there is to know about Carina Black." His cloak billowed behind him as he ascended to his throne.

"Brother?" Caius raised a brow wanting to know what was going on in his head.

"There seems to be rising tension in the Wiccan community. How they've managed to keep it under-wraps for fifteen years is impressive." Aro mused.

"It is not our fight, we have an alliance with their kind. An uneasy one but we will not be the ones to break it." Marcus speaks up.

"Jane, Alec, the decision is yours. These are your people." Aro said simply.

"They abandoned us," the female sneered as her brother placed a calming hand on her arm. Alec knew she wasn't referring to just the pair of them.

"What's so special about her?" Caius barely moved as he spoke.

"She's has the potential to be the most powerful witch in existence, but currently is neither light nor dark."

"They'll just fight over her. Kill her and be done with it." Jane shrugged looking to her brother who wore a confused expression.

"She wouldn't want that?"

"She died over a millennia ago Alec, times have changed."

"You know what it's like to be grey, sister." He protested, "she should at least have a chance, and if their fighting gets out of hand I'll kill her myself."

* * *

"Tell me everything." Carina demanded of her only friend.

"My family are witches," Abigail began as Carina stared at her in disbelief.

"Witches aren't real." She denies as her best friend snorts at her.

"Seriously. You met my aunt shes as creepy and witch-like as you can get. You have the same recurring dream every night about being burned at the stake, what more do you want?"

"I don't know, cauldrons, cats and flying brooms." the small brunette waved her arms dramatically.

"Ugh don't lump us with those stereotypes." Abby groaned. "There's some similarities, yes, but we are not like that."

"I still-"

"You want proof?" Abby raises a brow and smirks as she rises to her feet latching onto Carina's arm and forcefully dragged the girl from the room.

"Where are you taking me?" Carina struggles a little with no effect on the taller girl.

Abby doesn't reply, slowing her pace as they reached a secluded but magnificent greenhouse. All manor of plant life surrounded them in an almost warming embrace. Carina's jaw dropped at the lush green plants, some flowering with vibrant hues. The place gave off an otherworldly feeling.

"This is my Grandmother's garden." Abby explains releasing her friend to take a seat on the deep green grass.

She crosses her legs and glances up at her friend that was still staring slack-jawed at the surroundings. "Can you feel it?" The blonde questioned quietly as she ran her fingertips over the blades.

"I don't know what you mean?"

"Everything in this room, was grown under the influence of magic." Abby explains as she waves her hand over a nearby rose bush causing the flowers to bloom before their eyes. "This is my talent, I inherited it."

Carina shakily took a seat her eyes wide in shock.

"It's a lot to take in, I know, my reaction was the same when I found out."

"How did you find out?"

"I had a pot plant one day, and a tree in my bedroom the next. It was quite amusing actually." Her blue eyes scanned her friends face. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"I never would have believed you anyway." Carina shrugged.

"There are two sides to our species, light and dark," Abby explains, "but dark doesn't necessarily mean evil, and light doesn't mean good."

"Okay," Carina replies slowly confused as to why she was being told that.

"I'm light, just the way I was born I guess," Abby's hand glows warmly as she touches a withering plant, giving it life again. "My abilities tend towards the living things. Mother and Grandmother are light witches as well."

"Let me guess, Lucinda is Dark." Carina remarks sarcastically.

Abby nods, "so is father, it's why Grandmother doesn't like him."

"Your Dad's a witch?"

"I believe the preferred term is Warlock."

"Wow, your parent's are like a real life Romeo and Juliet," Carina gushes and Abby laughs.

"They don't hate each other, sure there's tension between the light and dark, but we're all still witches. Can't really help the type of magic you pull towards."

"But he-"

"Dark witches, or in this case Warlocks, tend to have very short fuses and tend to practice magic that cause destruction. Fire is the most common power, but it all really just depends on how you use it. I could grow a vine to strangle someone, and still, at the end of the day, be a light witch."

"Wow."

"We have our differences but we can all sense power." Abby looked Carina dead in the eye. "With you it's a low hum of magic that just radiates at all times, but every time you have a nightmare it kind of explodes."

"You're saying, you think I'm a witch."

"I don't think you're a witch Carina, I know you're a witch."


	8. Invitation

**Chapter 6**

 **Invitation**

* * *

" _I don't think you're a witch, I know you're a witch,"_

She paced back and forth in the room she was sharing with Abby her mind replaying the recent events. She, Carina Alexis Black was a witch. A witch. She didn't understand how this was real, but apparently it was. She'd seen Abby preform magic before her very eyes.

"It could be nothing," she muttered to herself. "They could be witches, but I'm just a normal human. Just normal human Carina."

"You're far from human Miss Black." A deep voice spoke up causing the girl to jump out of her skin in surprise as she hurled the nearest thing at the male in her window, which just happened to be one of Abby's copies of Harry Potter.

The cloaked male swiftly caught the book grinning widely showing his pearly whites in the process. He was still dressed the same as the last time she saw him. His black clothes helped him blend into the night so easily, he had basically become a part of it.

"What are you doing in my room?!" She questioned, but it came out as more of a hiss.

"Easy kitten," he raised a gloved hand. "I'm just here to re-introduce myself to the newbie."

"Newbie?"

"Welcome to the supernatural world love. We are the monsters in the shadows, the things that go bump in the night. Isn't that exciting," he gave her a small smirk.

"You're not really selling it," Carina shrugged, "What's your name again?"

He released a small sigh, "Demetri, and you are Carina, recently discovered grey witch."

"Well Demetri, you obviously don't know all that much about human etiquette, but normal people use the door." She pointed to the door on the other side of the room to make her point. "Now if you would so kindly go away, I'd like to brood on my own."

"True, then again neither of us are human," he grinned again.

"You're a little weird, please leave."

"Oh I will, I do have other things that need attending to." He stood to his full height and prepared to vanish out the window again.

"Wait," she called out rethinking the words he said to her. "You said us," she frowned, "you're not human."

"Yes. You can sense it Carina."

"Why did you really come?"

He nodded to the Harry Potter book that he had placed on the shelf near the window. She hadn't noticed the white envelope he had left on top.

Carina frowned slightly zeroing in on the envelope, her name written on the top in the most perfect old fashioned handwriting she'd ever seen.

"Wh-" she began looking to the window only to notice the man Demetri was gone, allowing the cool night breeze to move the curtains in his absence. "Creepy dude." She shrugged picking up what he had left for her.

* * *

"Sister," Alec said as he fell into step beside her.

"A grey witch Alec. A grey witch." She kept repeating as she strutted around the castle.

"I was there when it was announced." He replied sarcastically earning an annoyed glare.

"You know what this means though."

"She is a danger, I am aware, but she is also young so she will be relying on instinct."

"And if her instinct says to burn all vampires to the ground?" His twin added.

"Well Demetri's still alive so I doubt that's what her instincts are saying." He shrugged entering the elite guard's wing of the castle. He took a seat at an old oak table while opening the book he had left there previously. His eyes skimmed over the old Latin text as his twin took the seat opposite him.

"There hasn't been a grey witch since us and her, so why now?" Jane questioned looking over her own book.

"There must be something." Alec continued to search as one of his coven mates entered. It was the tracker, back from visiting the witch Carina.

Alec took a deep breath savouring the scent that clung to the male. It was like nothing he'd ever experienced before but a thousand years of control allowed him to keep a schooled look on his face.

"So the little grey witch has let you live. That's unfortunate." Jane comments with a smug grin.

"How so darling Jane? I'm the only interesting thing around." He replied not even a little put off by her comment as he settled into a comfy couch throwing his feet up onto the coffee table. Their relationship was weird, but the twins regarded him as an older sibling, even though they were technically older and more powerful, Demetri and Felix were the only other guards that the pair could tolerate.

Hazelnut, Cinnamon and hints of Rose assaulted Alec's senses and he held his breath to keep from lashing out. "Did she respond to the invitation or were you your weird and mysterious self and did not await an answer?" Alec asked not bothering to look up.

"She'll come," Demetri replied, "she's too curious not to."

"Do you think the Milana will allow her to attend?" Jane inquired.

"Of course not, even Lucinda would be against this, but she'll come. Call it a gut feeling." The male replied his red wine gaze flickering to them. "When's dinner arriving?"

"Heidi left about an hour ago." Felix commented. "She was asking for you."

"I was busy." Demetri shrugged.

As the guards talked Alec fought the need to follow the scent. It was driving him slightly insane, his eyes darkening as it continued to hound him. His desire to consume the scent in every way was dangerous. He wanted to attack Demetri, and get him to tell him where the scent was, for all Alec knew it could've been the trackers last meal. He hated the thought of someone taking what belongs to him.

"Alec!" The calm stern voice spoke and he glanced up at his sister who was giving him a concerned look. He glanced down to where his fingernails had dug grooves into the wooden table then back to his sister.

"Excuse me," he rose and headed for the door.

"Alec," Jane repeated asking a silent question as Demetri and Felix both watched unsure by their coven mate's behaviour.

"I'm fine sister, I just need some fresh air to clear my head." He gave a lopsided grin that did nothing to the reassure the occupants of the room. They'd known Alec for centuries, it was hard to hide anything from them. "Truly, I'm perfectly fine."


End file.
